Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson dropped a bombshell on Sunday, July 26, baring fresh evidence of double billing and collection involving infrastructure projects in Taguig City—the political bailiwick of what he called “disgraced ex-Senate President” Alan Peter Cayetano—in his fourth update on ghost infrastructure projects in the area.
Lacson said one case involved two supposedly different projects that shared the same photo for billing purposes, while another involved a single slope protection project that received two separate budget appropriations.
“Two different projects, two distinct appropriations, two different technical descriptions and locations, two different contractors, but sharing the same photo for billing purposes. Status: both billed and collected,” Lacson said in a post on X.
“One slope protection project, one location, one technical description, two separate budget appropriations. Status: both billed and collected,” he added, before asking pointedly: “Are these not criminal acts?”
Lacson said the accumulating evidence has reached what he described as “SHOOT SA KALDERO” territory, and that full details will be turned over to the Ombudsman or presented during Blue Ribbon Committee hearings when called.
The latest findings came after Lacson defended his own integrity earlier this month following Cayetano’s insinuations about the increase in his net worth—with the senator’s efforts to clear his name leading to the discovery of the anomalous Taguig projects.
Lacson invoked his “Be Not Afraid” coalition—which he launched in 2005 to promote accountability—in sending a message to those whose integrity is under attack.
“BE NOT AFRAID. When one’s integrity is attacked, his character is revealed and tested. The guilty bargains and pleads; the innocent stands his ground and challenges his attacker on even terms,” Lacson said in a post on X on Saturday evening.
He recalled that during the Arroyo administration, he was falsely linked to fabulous sums in US bank accounts—and disproved the allegations by signing a formal waiver authorizing access to those accounts and challenging his accusers to keep whatever money they found in them.
“This is not about friendship or personal fights, this is about accountability,” Lacson said, stressing that the Taguig investigation is driven not by personal conflict with Cayetano but by the need to hold the right people responsible.
